Chapter 33
In the evening, clouds gathered, and the wind carried a chill. Shi Nuo put on a jacket and sat stubbornly by the open door, looking up at the vast, distant sky.
He rubbed his neck, stiff from looking up for so long.
Almost eight hours had passed, and Hugh hadn’t returned.
Perhaps it was the gloomy weather, but his mood darkened as he waited, unable to contact the Alpha. The sky was empty, no sign of human technology, only wind and clouds, the surrounding silence amplifying his sense of unease.
His previous life seemed like a dream now. He was alone again.
He was also afraid. The black markets in the outer star systems were far more dangerous than elsewhere, lawless and chaotic, devoid of even basic morality.
Hugh had lived alone here for ten years, isolated from others, his personality straightforward and perhaps even naive, unfamiliar with the dark underbelly of society. What if someone provoked him, deceived him, or started a fight? How would he escape, alone and outnumbered?
The last vestiges of daylight faded, the wind died down, and the thick clouds obscured the moon and stars, plunging the world into darkness.
A raindrop landed on his cheek, startling him. He lowered his gaze from the sky, touched his wet cheek, and realized it was raining.
The lights in the living room turned on, attracting insects, which tried to fly inside but were repelled by the protective energy net at the doorway.
Usually, the door was closed at night, but tonight, it remained open, waiting for the Alpha’s return.
Shi Nuo moved back inside. He had been sitting for so long that his body was stiff. But the distant rumble of engines and a sonic boom made him jump to his feet, ignoring the discomfort in his limbs as he rushed outside.
The starship’s searchlights were bright, and he shielded his eyes with his hand.
Long Xu, still in its starship form, landed, creating a gust of wind and kicking up dust.
The hatch opened, and the tall, slender figure of Hugh Elvis appeared, his shadow, elongated by the lights, falling over Shi Nuo.
The Alpha’s pheromones surged, reaching out to envelop Shi Nuo, possessively checking for any unfamiliar scents before relaxing slightly.
Seeing the man, Shi Nuo couldn’t contain himself any longer.
He ran forward, only to be caught in a warm embrace before he even reached Hugh Elvis.
The Alpha’s arms, strong and secure, wrapped tightly around him, and Shi Nuo, far from feeling suffocated, felt a sense of relief, a wave of security washing over him.
The ten hours of separation had left Hugh Elvis with a strange emptiness, a void that was only filled when Shi Nuo ran into his arms.
Raindrops quickly dampened his hair and shoulders. He lifted Shi Nuo and carried him inside, then set him down, intending to retrieve the supplies, but Shi Nuo’s actions stopped him.
Two arms wrapped hesitantly around his waist, then tightened slightly.
They had kissed, made love, embraced countless times, but it was always Hugh Elvis holding his Omega, his possessiveness evident.
Apart from clinging to him during their intimate moments, Shi Nuo rarely initiated physical contact.
He looked up at Hugh, his eyes slightly red, the worry and fear of being abandoned finally gone. He opened his mouth to speak but then buried his face against the Alpha’s chest.
Hugh Elvis’s throat moved. He allowed the Omega to hold him.
“Did everything go smoothly?” Shi Nuo finally asked.
“Yes, very smoothly. No trouble. I came back as soon as I finished shopping,” Hugh Elvis replied, seeing no need to mention the small space pirate group he had eliminated, a dozen or so men who had tried to rob him.
He hadn’t started the fight. Those thugs, seeing him handling energy crystals, had gotten greedy and attacked him.
He could have avoided them. If he had wanted to leave, they couldn’t have stopped him. But he had wanted to test their strength.
Ten minutes later, the rain intensified, the starship’s lights blurred by the downpour.
“I’ll bring the supplies inside,” Hugh said, gently pushing Shi Nuo away. He removed the dark gray metal band from his left wrist, similar to a wrist-mounted optical brain, with a rectangular black crystal in the center.
He wasn’t accustomed to wearing accessories. He handed it to Shi Nuo. “The storage chips you wanted are inside. Your biometric data is already in Long Xu’s system. Just scan your eyes to access it.”
The black crystal was clearly a spatial storage device, the same material as the pendant Shi Nuo wore around his neck.
Hugh went outside. The rain was heavy now. He moved the starship closer to the house, then extended a ramp from the side, creating a covered walkway.
Shi Nuo, holding the wristband, watched as Hugh dragged two heavy crates from the ship.
Relieved, he pressed his hand against the black crystal, and a light blue virtual screen appeared, scanning his face.
A faint mental probe entered the crystal’s spatial storage, and Shi Nuo “saw” the vast, white space inside, though he couldn’t tell its exact dimensions. It wasn’t as large as the one that contained Long Xu. Closest to him was a “shelf.”
The “shelf” resembled a storage rack, formed by lines of white light, with multiple compartments.
Five compartments were filled with large energy crystals. In the top compartment, he saw the small storage chips. He focused his mental energy, retrieving them.
Shi Nuo held the chips in his hand. Hugh was still busy outside, dragging several more crates into the living room, placing them away from the rug.
The crates looked heavy, but they had wheels.
He inserted a chip into his optical brain but didn’t check its contents yet. He hurried to the doorway, rolling up his sleeves. “Is there more?”
Hugh entered, dragging two crates. Seeing Shi Nuo’s eagerness to help, he said, “I can manage. These are heavy.”
Seeing that Hugh wasn’t struggling, Shi Nuo stepped aside. “They have wheels. I can help.”
Hugh glanced at him, then didn’t object. After placing the crates down, he returned to the starship and, seeing Shi Nuo struggling to pull a crate, raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
Even with the wheels, the crates were heavy, but not unmanageable. The path from the ship to the house was covered with metal plates, so the ground was smooth.
Hugh easily pulled two crates past Shi Nuo, who quickly hurried to catch up, dragging his crate behind him.
There were ten crates in total, and Shi Nuo managed to move two.
The black crystal pendant around his neck pulsed faintly, and the starship vanished, stored within the spatial storage device. The door closed, shutting out the cold wind and rain.
He suddenly realized something and asked, “Why didn’t you use the wristband’s spatial storage for the crates?”
Hugh Elvis explained, “Spatial storage devices are conspicuous. If someone noticed, it could attract unwanted attention. I had them deliver the crates to Long Xu’s landing spot at the black market and loaded them directly into the cargo hold.”
Shi Nuo’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought of that.
The house was warm and dry. The rain on his clothes had already dried.
Shi Nuo, suppressing his excitement, stood before the stack of crates. Hugh bent down and opened the first one, and he finally had a chance to observe the Alpha’s unusual attire.
He was wearing a dark gray shirt buttoned all the way up, black pants, and black boots. The fabric looked expensive, the clothes well-tailored, accentuating his physique. The style, completely different from his usual wild appearance, gave him an air of aloof elegance.
His cold, hard features weren’t softened by the clothes, but his striking handsomeness remained, perhaps even enhanced.
“These are the books and comics you wanted. One hundred books, fifty complete comic book sets,” Hugh said, pulling out a colorful comic book.
Shi Nuo’s gaze shifted from Hugh’s clothes to the comic book, which he took and flipped through. It was an interstellar adventure story.
Having been deprived of entertainment for so long, his eyes lit up, and he wanted to sit down and read it immediately, but he was also eager to see what was in the other crates. His heart felt full, overflowing with joy.
Two crates were filled with clothes and books. A small section of the clothing crate contained clothes for Hugh.
The rice, flour, and oil, all purchased according to Shi Nuo’s list, were heavy. Hugh said they could unpack them tomorrow, and Shi Nuo agreed. It was getting late, and he wanted to read before going to bed.
Several vacuum-sealed bags and preservation containers held fresh vegetables and fruits, cultivated varieties, different from the wild vegetables and fruits he had been eating, but familiar flavors from his previous life.
There was also fresh meat, some already sliced thinly or cut into thicker patties, even tofu, meatballs, and vegetable balls, as well as various dairy products.
He had purchased many seasonings, even a hot pot set with various broths. Each crate held a delightful surprise, like a treasure chest waiting to be opened.
Toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other necessities filled half a crate, enough for both of them for a long time.
The next crate was filled with snacks, and Shi Nuo gasped, his eyes widening. He saw Hugh open a two-layered preservation container, revealing five small cakes, individually wrapped in clear boxes.
The cakes weren’t large, some four inches, others six, their white frosting looking sweet and fluffy, decorated with colorful fruit and intricate icing. One even had a cartoon character on it, seemingly meant for children.
Shi Nuo couldn’t tear his gaze away.
Hugh Elvis knelt down beside the crate, placed the last cake on the floor, and pointed at several smaller boxes inside. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I bought a variety of desserts. They’re in these containers.”
He glanced at Shi Nuo, saw the Omega’s complete focus on the cakes, smiled, and picked up a small, four-inch fruit cake, handing it to him. “Eat.”
The clear box contained a small knife and fork. Shi Nuo, impatient, quickly opened the box and took a large bite of the cake, still standing.
The smooth, delicate frosting melted in his mouth, sweet and delicious.
When he couldn’t have it, he hadn’t craved it, but now, he realized how much he had missed this taste, and his eyes began to water.
Shi Nuo blinked, holding back his tears. He squatted down beside Hugh, holding the cake, and asked happily, “It’s very sweet. Do you want some?”
Hugh, holding a bottle of juice he had taken from the snack crate, looked at Shi Nuo, about to refuse, but seeing the Omega’s expectant expression, nodded. “Okay.”
Shi Nuo handed him the fork, still holding the cake with both hands.
Hugh took a bite, then returned the fork. He hadn’t had much of a sweet tooth as a child. Meeting Shi Nuo’s bright eyes, he didn’t look away and, indulging the Omega, said, “It’s good. Smooth and delicate.”
Shi Nuo beamed.
“Here. Have some of this if you want. You can put it in the refrigerator if you don’t finish it,” Hugh handed him the juice.
He added, “The black market mostly has alcohol. Not many normal drinks. This was the most expensive one they had. It should be decent.”
Shi Nuo, juggling the cake and the juice bottle, wasn’t sure which to try first.
He placed the cake on the floor, opened the bottle, and took a large gulp of the juice.
It was different from fresh juice, less intense and natural, but he liked it. This synthetic drink, something he rarely had before, was a pleasant surprise, filling him with a sense of delight.
Hugh Elvis glanced at the other snacks. “We’ll put the desserts in the refrigerator. Leave the other snacks in this crate for now. We’ll organize them tomorrow.”
“Mm,” Shi Nuo took another sip of the juice, unable to reply properly, only mumbling his agreement.
The next crate was opened, releasing a cloud of cold mist and the distinct smell of seafood. Shi Nuo’s joy intensified. This crate was filled with seafood.
The ten crates were long and deep, their capacity large. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is so much! It will last for months!”
His voice was filled with uncontainable joy.
The last crate contained miscellaneous items: a holographic projector, several medical devices, a hundred nutrient solutions, and a first aid kit.
Shi Nuo’s gaze fell on a stuffed rabbit toy, next to a large stuffed carrot and several pillows. The pillows were white, and he saw a fluffy tail on one, seemingly a picture of a dog.
